Pioneer4x4,
I find myself in a similar boat - my son's Crossfire (nee R170) got me hooked, and an R171 would one-up him a bit! Finding a manual is a challenge. Looked at a salvage-title beater 2005 SLK280 (black/beige, auto, $6k) but decided I'd pay for a nicer one. Read about my adventure here: I'm about an inch away...from R171 fun. - Mercedes Benz SLK Forum Currently shopping to see if I can find a decent one (stick, without a boring black interior) around $12k. Tell us about yours and your deal!

And I'm still considering this one. Read about the 2016 Focus RS in Car & Driver - 350HP and 3400lbs. Sure, you get a couple more doors and AWD, but shocking how advanced power/weight the SRT-6 was/is. Still internally at war over SRT-6 vs. stick Roadster, for daily driver enjoyment.